Device for protecting a glass smoking apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A device for protecting a smoking apparatus; the device has a jacket constructed of a semirigid and/or shock absorbent material configured receive a glass body of the smoking apparatus and may cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body when on an open state. The jacket further may be configured to protect, at least 80% of the outer surface of the glass body against impacts against the outer surface of the glass body while in the closed state. Additionally, a fastener may be fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the smoking apparatus. The device for protecting the smoking apparatus is useful for providing a reusable covering/jacket for protecting the smoking apparatus against impacts.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/663,981 filed 27 Apr. 2018, whichis incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understandingthe present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of theinformation provided herein is prior art nor material to the presentlydescribed or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or documentthat is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of glass smokingapparatuses of existing art and more specifically relates to smokingapparatus protectors.

Related Art

Many smokers enjoy using a glass pipe but worry that it will break ifdropped or otherwise impacted. Often, the pipe becomes hot and causesthe individual to lose their grip. The glass may also be slippery, whichoften causes the user to inadvertently drop the pipe. The impact from afall, even a short one, can cause the pipe to crack or even shatter.This will render the pipe unusable and force the user to pay for areplacement smoking apparatus (e.g., bong, pipe, etc.). A suitablesolution is desired.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,807 to Mark R. Newman relates to a water pipesmoking apparatus having impact collars and base storage compartment.The described water pipe smoking apparatus having impact collars andbase storage compartment includes a liquid pipe smoking apparatus havingimpact collars formed to be carried by the body of the base member, andor, the vessel body of the apparatus. The impact collars are detachableand are intended to absorb shock encountered by the apparatus during useto avoid fracture of the vessel body, and or to avoid tipping of thepipe apparatus. The cylindrical base member is also modified such thatthe underside portion provides a storage compartment covered with athreaded or friction retained bottom cap member. Various embodiments maybe configured utilizing the impact collars and the modified basestructure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known smokingapparatus protector art, the present disclosure provides a novel deviceand method for protecting a smoking apparatus. The general purpose ofthe present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greaterdetail is to provide an effective and convertible device for protectinga smoking apparatus.

The smoking apparatus may include a mouth interface, at least one airinlet, and a glass body between the mouth interface and the at least oneair inlet. The glass body has an outer surface defining an internalcavity. The device for protecting the smoking apparatus comprises ajacket constructed of a semirigid and/or shock absorbent materialconfigured to receive the glass body and may cover at least 50% of theouter surface of the glass body when on an open state. The jacketfurther may be configured to protect at least 80% of the outer surfaceof the glass body against impacts against the outer surface of the glassbody while in the closed state. Additionally, a fastener may be fixed tothe jacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the glass smokingapparatus.

The device further includes an embodiment with a jacket that can bedivided into a plurality of sub-jackets and each sub-jacket can beconfigured to receive a predefined portion of the glass bodyindividually or in combination. With the present embodiment, eachsub-jacket may comprise a sub-jacket divided into two halves and mayfurther be configured to be releasably couplable one to the other aroundthe outer surface of the smoking apparatus and/or a predefined portionof the smoking apparatus.

A method of using a device for protecting a smoking apparatus is alsodisclosed herein. The method comprises the steps of providing a devicefor protecting a smoking apparatus; the smoking apparatus including amouth interface, at least one air inlet, and a glass body between themouth interface and the at least one air inlet, the glass body having anouter surface defining an internal volume; the device comprising: ajacket configured receive the glass body, and to cover at least 50% ofthe outer surface of the glass body; the jacket further configured toprotect against impacts against the outer surface of the glass body; anda fastener fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket tothe glass smoking apparatus; positioning the jacket in an open state;inserting the smoking apparatus; closing the jacket; coupling thefastener to secure the jacket in the closed state; releasing thefastener; and removing the smoking apparatus.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages,and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is tobe understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achievedin accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus,the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achievesor optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught hereinwithout necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught orsuggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to benovel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in theconcluding portion of the specification. These and other features,aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become betterunderstood with reference to the following drawings and detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specificationillustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, adevice for protecting a glass smoking apparatus, constructed andoperative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device during an ‘in-use’ condition,according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of the device of FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for a device forprotecting a smoking apparatus, according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein likedesignations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to asmoking apparatus protector and more particularly to a device forprotecting a smoking apparatus from potential impact damage as used toimprove the longevity of the smoking apparatus.

Generally, modern smoking apparatuses are constructed with fragilematerial such as glass and ceramic and as a result can be very expensiveand delicate. Furthermore, because they are often fragile, smokingapparatuses are unable to sustain impacts if dropped. The presentinvention provides a device useful for protecting the smoking apparatusagainst such impacts. The device may look like a sleeve or a koozie thatthe smoking apparatus can slide into and surrounds the bottom half ofthe bowl with a bridge over the stem top to hold it in place.

The device may further be envisioned in other configurations orembodiments that can include a device comprising a protector that couldbe like an outer box on a phone that is 2 pieces that click in place onboth sides and the bottom, while the stem is a separate protector thatthe stem slides into similar to a koozie. It can also be manufacturedsimilarly to a phone case by lining the inside with silicone with theoutside being wood, plastic, or the like. The retaining strap may varyas well. There can be a permanent strap, a snap strap, or a buckle strapwith the initial one being made from an RTV rubber mold that the bowlcan be set into with the bridge added later. It may be able to be madefrom semi-flex to flexible filament from a 3D printer. 3D printing canbe one way to make the device. Other suitable options may be used suchas with a clay molding and silicone. The measurements can be minimallythe same throughout. An example may include a device being between ⅛ ofan inch and one inch thick in all areas including the retaining strapbut can be thicker and modeled special if the user prefers for examplefinger ridges for gripping or other unique designs. Preferably, thedevice can be about a quarter of an inch away from the bowl piece andthe mouth piece sticks out about a quarter of an inch past the protectorin order to still be able put mouth on the smoking apparatus.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals ofreference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4, various views of a device 100for protecting a smoking apparatus 10. FIG. 1 shows the device 100during an ‘in-use’ condition 50, according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. Here, the device 100 may be beneficial for use by auser 40 to protect the smoking apparatus 10 from damage or impact ifaccidentally dropped for example. As illustrated, the device 100 forprotecting the smoking apparatus 10 may include the device 100 forapplication with the smoking apparatus 10 having a mouth interface 12,at least one air inlet 14, and a glass body 16 between the mouthinterface 12 and the at least one air inlet 14. The glass body 16includes an outer surface 17 defining an internal volume 19.

Although it is clearly apparent that the device 100 of the of thepresent disclosure is advantages for protecting the smoking apparatus 10having the glass body 16, it should be noted that the smoking apparatus10 does not require a glass element for the device 100 to be effectivein the protection of the smoking apparatus 10. Examples of the smokingapparatus 10 may include wood, carved stone, porcelain, molded glass,blown glass and water pipes commonly referred to as bongs or hookahs.

The device 100 comprises a jacket 110 configured to receive the glassbody 16 of the smoking apparatus 10, while in an open state 112, and tocover at least 50% of the outer surface 17 of the glass body 16.Preferably the at least 50% should include the bottom section when usedwith a common glass pipe as shown here in FIG. 1. The jacket 110 mayfurther be configured to protect from impacts against the outer surface17 of the glass body 16 while in the open state 112 as shown in FIG. 2and compounding the protection while in a closed state 122 having thefastener 120 closed and fastened as shown. For protection, the jacket110 may include a shock absorbent, semirigid shell 140. An embodimentmay include but is not limited to the semirigid shell 140 comprising ofwood, plastic or 3D printable material and further include artisticdesigns and/or (functional) ergonomic features having an exterior wall142 and an interior wall 144 clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. The interiorwall 144 defines the internal cavity 146 (FIG. 3) configured to receivethe glass body 16 of the smoking apparatus 10. The jacket 110 mayfurther include an internal liner 148 coupled to the interior wall 144of the internal cavity 146 and made of a shock absorbent material (FIG.3). The internal liner 148 is configured to nest at least a portion ofthe smoking apparatus 10 within the internal cavity 146. The jacket 110may be made of a shock absorbent skin comprising the semirigid shell 140and internal liner 148 separately or in combination having a thicknessbetween ⅛ of an inch and one inch. In a preferred embodiment, the shockabsorbent material is an elastomer material. However, types of materialmay vary according to design preference.

The jacket 110 may include the open state 112 as shown in FIGS. 2 & 3and the closed state 122 as shown in FIGS. 1 & 4 with the jacket 110configured to receive the glass body 16 when in the open state 112 andto protect the glass body 16 when in the closed state 122 (as shown inFIGS. 2 & 4). The jacket 110 may further be configured to cover at least80% of the glass body 16 when in the closed state 122. The jacket 110includes at least one inlet aperture 114 configured to align and permitair to flow into the at least one air inlet 14. The at least one inletaperture 114 may be sized and dimensioned to provide a thermalseparation 160 of at least 1/32 of an inch between the at least oneinlet aperture 114 and the at least one air inlet 14. Moreover, the atleast one inlet aperture 114 may be structured and arranged to alignwith the at least one air inlet 14 when the jacket 110 is in the closedstate 122.

The jacket 110 further includes an outlet aperture 116 configured toalign and permit air to flow out of the mouth interface 12. The outletaperture 116 may be sized and dimensioned to provide a gap 118 of atleast ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture 116 and the mouthinterface 12. The device 100 can additionally include a fastener 120fixed to the jacket 110 and configured to secure the jacket 110 to thesmoking apparatus 10. The fastener 120 may be releasably couplable andis further configured to secure the jacket 110 in the closed state 122.The fastener 120 may be made of an impact resistant material similar tothe jacket 110.

It should be noted and obvious to one skilled in the art that the impactresistant material may be constructed to provide elastomeric propertiesallowing for a biasing deformation such that the jacket 110 may bedeformed to the open state 112 to receive the smoking apparatus 10 andreturn to the closed state 122. In still another embodiment, the device100 for protecting the smoking apparatus 10 may comprise a shockabsorbent skin comprising the soft shell 140 constructed of a neopreneshock absorbent material configured to slip over the smoking apparatus10 in a sock-like fashion.

According to one embodiment, the device 100 for protecting the smokingapparatus 10 may be arranged as a kit 105. In particular, the device 100may further include a set of instructions 107. The instructions 107 maydetail functional relationships in relation to the structure of thedevice 100 such that the device 100 can be used, maintained, or thelike, in a preferred manner.

FIG. 2 shows the device 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. As above, the device 100 may include the jacket 110configured to receive the glass body 16 of the smoking apparatus 10, andto cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body 16. Thejacket 110 includes a shock absorbent, semirigid shell 140 having theexterior wall 142 and the interior wall 144. The interior wall 144 maybe defined by the internal cavity 146 configured to receive the glassbody 16. The jacket 110 may further include the at least one inletaperture 114 configured to align and permit air to flow into the atleast one air inlet 14. The at least one inlet aperture 114 may be sizedand dimensioned to provide the thermal separation 160 of at least 1/32of an inch between the at least one inlet aperture 114 and the at leastone air inlet 14. Moreover, the jacket 110 includes the outlet aperture116 configured to align and permit air to flow out of the mouthinterface 12. The outlet aperture 116 may be sized and dimensioned toprovide the gap 118 of at least ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture116 and the mouth interface 12.

The jacket 110 further includes the fastener 120 fixed to the jacket 110and configured to secure the jacket 110 to the smoking apparatus 10. Thefastener 120 may be made of an impact resistant material and may be anaffixed feature of the jacket 110. Preferably, the fastener 120 isreleasably couplable, and is further configured to secure the jacket 110in the closed state 122. An example may include a hook-and-loop fasteneror a rubber band fastener. Upon reading this specification, it should beappreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, considering suchissues as user preferences, design preference, structural requirements,marketing preferences, cost, available materials, technologicaladvances, etc., other fastener 120 arrangements such as, for example,buttons, buckles, zippers, etc., may be sufficient.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device 100 of FIG. 1, according toanother embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated here, thejacket 110 may be divided into a plurality of sub-jackets 150. Asmentioned above, some smoking apparatuses 10 such as water pipes,commonly referred to as bongs or hookahs, may require protection forindividual components of the smoking apparatus 10. The plurality ofsub-jackets 150 may be configured to receive the glass body 16 when inthe open state 112 and coupled together to protect the glass body 16when in the closed state 122 (as shown in FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the sub-jackets 150 may be configured toreceive a predefined portion of the glass body 16 individually or incombination. The predefined portions of the glass body 16 can include atleast one of a bowl portion 152, a base portion 154, a water-chamberportion 156, a stem portion 153, and a smoke-chamber portion 158. Theplurality of sub-jackets 150 may be divided into two halves that can bereleasably coupled together. Each of the sub-jackets 150 may furtherinclude the fastener 120 fixed to the sub-jacket 150 and be configuredto secure the sub-jacket 150 to the smoking apparatus 10. The fastener120 may be made of an impact resistant material and may be an affixedfeature of the sub-jacket 150. Preferably, the fastener 120 isreleasably couplable, and is further configured to secure the sub-jacket150 in the closed state 122. Moreover, as stated above upon reading thisspecification, it should be appreciated that, under appropriatecircumstances, considering such issues as user preferences, designpreference, structural requirements, marketing preferences, cost,available materials, technological advances, etc., other fastener 120arrangements such as, for example, buttons, buckles, zippers etc., maybe sufficient.

As above, the device 100 may include the plurality of sub-jackets 150configured receive the predefined portion of the glass body 16 of thesmoking apparatus 10, individually or in combination and to cover atleast 50% of the outer surface 17 of the glass body 16 in the open state112. Each of the sub-jackets 150 may include the shock absorbent,semirigid shell 140 having the exterior wall 142 and the interior wall144. The interior wall 144 may be defined by the internal cavity 146configured to receive the glass body 16. Each sub-jacket 150 may furtherinclude the internal liner 148 coupled to the interior wall 144 of theinternal cavity 146 and made of a shock absorbent material. The internalliner 148 is configured to nest at least a portion of the smokingapparatus's 10 glass body 16 within the internal cavity 146.

Each sub-jacket 150 may further include the at least one inlet aperture114 configured to align and permit air to flow into the at least one airinlet 14. The at least one inlet aperture 114 may be structured andarranged to align with the at least one air inlet 14 when the jacket 110is in the closed state 122. The at least one inlet aperture 114 may besized and dimensioned to provide the thermal separation 160 of at least1/32 of an inch between the at least one inlet aperture 114 and the atleast one air inlet 14. Moreover, the jacket 110 includes the outletaperture 116 configured to align and permit air to flow out of the mouthinterface 12. The outlet aperture 116 may be sized and dimensioned toprovide the gap 118 of at least ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture116 and the mouth interface 12.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device 100 of FIG. 1, according toan embodiment of the present disclosure. Each of the plurality ofsub-jackets 150 may be configured to have the open state 112 as shown inFIG. 3 and the closed state 122 as illustrated here. As above, eachsub-jacket 150 may include two halves configured to inter-lock into itsrespective closed state 122. The plurality of sub-jackets 150 mayinclude the at least one inlet aperture 114 configured to align andpermit air to flow into the at least one air inlet 14. The at least oneinlet aperture 114 may be sized and dimensioned to provide the thermalseparation 160 of at least 1/32 of an inch between the at least oneinlet aperture 114 and the at least one air inlet 14. The plurality ofsub-jackets 150 further include the outlet aperture 116 configured toalign and permit air to flow out of the mouth interface 12. The outletaperture 116 may be sized and dimensioned to provide the gap 118 of atleast ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture 116 and the mouthinterface 12. The fastener 120 can be divided into a plurality ofsub-fasteners 162 fixed to the plurality of the sub-jackets 150. Eachsub-fastener 162 may be configured to secure its respective sub-jacket150 to its respective predefined portion of the glass body 16. Eachsub-fastener 162 may be biased in its respective closed state 122.

Illustrated with FIG. 4 is a water pipe having the plurality ofsub-jackets 150 where each may include two halves configured tointer-lock into its respective closed state 122. Some embodiments of thedevice 100 may include the sub-jackets 150 made of a shock absorbentskin comprising the soft shell 140 and internal liner 148 (FIG. 3)separately or in combination having a thickness between ⅛ of an inch andone inch. In a preferred embodiment, the shock absorbent material is anelastomer material. As shown in FIG. 4, the smoking apparatus 10 isfitted with a combination of sub-jackets 150 embodiments including thebase portion 154 and the water-chamber portion 156 in combinationcomprising the sub-jacket 150 divided into two halves and inter-lockingone to the other as defined in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the smoke-chamberportion 158 of the smoking apparatus 10 is fitted with an embodiment asdescribed above having a shock absorbent skin comprising the soft shell140 and internal liner 148 (FIG. 3) separately or in combination havinga thickness between ⅛ of an inch and one inch. In a preferredembodiment, the shock absorbent material is an elastomer material.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for a device forprotecting a smoking apparatus 500, according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. In particular, the method of use for the device forprotecting the smoking apparatus 500 may include one or more componentsor features of the device 100 as described above. As illustrated, themethod of use for the device for protecting a smoking apparatus 500 mayinclude the steps of: step one 501, providing a device 100 forprotecting a smoking apparatus 10, the smoking apparatus 10 including amouth interface 12, at least one air inlet, 14 and a glass body 16between the mouth interface 12 and the at least one air inlet 14, theglass body 16 having an outer surface 17, defining an internal volume19, the device 100 comprising: a jacket 110 configured receive the glassbody 16, and to cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glassbody 16, the jacket 110 further configured to protect against impactsagainst the outer surface of the glass body 16; and a fastener 120 fixedto the jacket 110, and configured to secure the jacket 110 to the glasssmoking apparatus 10; step two 502, positioning the jacket 110 orsub-jackets 150 in an open state 112 on a table or stable surface; stepthree 503, inserting the smoking apparatus 10 in an embodiment of thepresent disclosure it may be preferable to hold the device 100 in onehand while inserting the smoking apparatus 10 or portion thereof usingthe other hand; step four 504, closing the jacket it should be notedhere that 110 according to the teaching of the present disclosure thedevice 100 may be configured to include a jacket comprising a fastenerthat may be an integral part of the jacket while still anotherembodiment may comprise a shock absorbent skin comprising the soft shell140 constructed of a neoprene shock absorbent material configured toslip over the smoking apparatus 10 in a sock-like fashion; step five505, coupling the fastener 120 to secure the jacket 110 in the closedstate 122 in accordance to the respective embodiment as disclosed above;step six 506, releasing the fastener 120 in accordance to the respectiveembodiment as disclosed above; and step seven 507, removing the smokingapparatus 10.

It should be noted that steps six 506 and seven 507 are an optional stepand may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method of use500 are illustrated using dotted lines in FIG. 5 so as to distinguishthem from the other steps of method of use 500. It should also be notedthat the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in manydifferent orders according to user preference. The use of “step of”should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is notintended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should alsobe noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issuesas design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost,structural requirements, available materials, technological advances,etc., other methods for the device 100 (NOTE: e.g., different steporders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certainsteps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), aretaught herein.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary andnumerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readilyenvisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which areintended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention.Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially thescientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiarwith patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from acursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure ofthe application.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:
 1. A device (100) for protecting asmoking apparatus (10), the smoking apparatus including a mouthinterface (12), at least one air inlet (14), and a glass body (16)between the mouth interface and the at least one air inlet, the glassbody having an outer surface (17) defining an internal volume (19), thedevice comprising: a jacket (110) configured receive the glass body, andto cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body, the jacketfurther configured to protect against impacts against the outer surfaceof the glass body; and a fastener (120) fixed to the jacket andconfigured to secure the jacket to the glass smoking apparatus.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the jacket has an open state and a closedstate, the jacket configured to receive the glass body when in the openstate and to protect the glass body when in the closed state.
 3. Thedevice of claim 2, wherein the jacket is further configured to cover atleast 80% of the glass body when in the closed state.
 4. The device ofclaim 2, wherein the fastener is releasably couplable, and is furtherconfigured to secure the jacket in the closed state.
 5. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the jacket includes a shock absorbent, semirigid shellhaving an exterior wall and an interior wall, said interior walldefining an internal cavity configured to receive the glass body.
 6. Thedevice of claim 5, wherein the jacket further includes an internal linercoupled to the interior wall of the internal cavity and made of a shockabsorbent material, said internal liner configured to nest the glassbody within the internal cavity.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein theshock absorbent material is an elastomer material.
 8. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the jacket is made of a shock absorbent skin having athickness between ⅛ of an inch and one inch.
 9. The device of claim 1,wherein the jacket includes at least one inlet aperture configured toalign and permit air to flow into the at least one air inlet, the atleast one inlet aperture sized and dimensioned to provide a thermalseparation of at least 1/32 of an inch between the at least one apertureand the at least one air inlet.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein thejacket has an open state and a closed state, the jacket configured toreceive the glass body when in the open state and to protect the glassbody when in the closed state; and wherein the at least one inletaperture is structured and arranged to align with said at least one airinlet when the jacket is in the closed state.
 11. The device of claim 9,wherein the jacket further includes an outlet aperture configured toalign and permit air to flow out of the mouth interface, the outletaperture sized and dimensioned to provide a gap of at least ⅛ of an inchbetween the outlet aperture and the mouth interface.
 12. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the jacket is divided into a plurality of sub-jackets;and wherein each sub-jacket is configured to receive a predefinedportion of the glass body.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein thepredefined portions of the glass body include a bowl portion, a baseportion, a water-chamber portion, a stem portion, and a smoke-chamberportion.
 14. The device of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality ofsub-jackets are configured to have an open state and a closed state; andwherein each sub-jacket has two halves configured to inter-lock into itsrespective closed state.
 15. The device of claim 14, wherein thefastener is divided into a plurality of sub-fasteners fixed to aplurality of the sub-jackets, each sub-fastener configured to secure itsrespective sub-jacket to its respective the predefined portion of theglass body, each sub-fastener being biased in its respective closedstate.
 16. The device of claim 1, wherein the fastener is made of animpact resistant material.
 17. A device (100) for protecting a smokingapparatus, the smoking apparatus including a mouth interface (12), atleast one air inlet (14), and a glass body (16) between the mouthinterface and the at least one air inlet, the glass body having an outersurface (17) defining an internal volume (19), the device comprising: ajacket (110) configured receive the glass body, and to cover at least50% of the outer surface of the glass body, the jacket furtherconfigured to protect against impacts against the outer surface of theglass body; and a fastener (120) fixed to the jacket, and configured tosecure the jacket to the glass smoking apparatus; wherein the jacket hasan open state and a closed state, the jacket configured to receive theglass body when in the open state and to protect the glass body when inthe closed state; wherein the jacket is further configured to cover atleast 80% of the glass body when in the closed state; wherein thefastener is releasably couplable, and is further configured to securethe jacket in the closed state; wherein the jacket includes a shockabsorbent, semirigid shell having an exterior wall and an interior wall,said interior wall defining an internal cavity configured to receive theglass body; wherein the jacket further includes an internal linercoupled to the interior wall of the internal cavity and made of a shockabsorbent material, said internal liner configured to nest the glassbody within the internal cavity; wherein the shock absorbent material isan elastomer material; wherein the jacket is made of a shock absorbentskin having a thickness between ⅛ of an inch and one inch; wherein thejacket includes at least one inlet aperture configured to align andpermit air to flow into the at least one air inlet, the at least oneinlet aperture sized and dimensioned to provide a thermal separation ofat least 1/32 of an inch between the at least one aperture and the atleast one air inlet; wherein the jacket has an open state and a closedstate, the jacket configured to receive the glass body when in the openstate and to protect the glass body when in the closed state; andwherein the at least one inlet aperture is structured and arranged toalign with said at least one air inlet when the jacket is in the closedstate; wherein the jacket further includes an outlet aperture configuredto align and permit air to flow out of the mouth interface, the outletaperture sized and dimensioned to provide a gap of at least ⅛ of an inchbetween the outlet aperture and the mouth interface; and wherein thefastener is made of an impact resistant material.
 18. The device (100)for protecting a smoking apparatus of claim 17, further comprising setof instructions; and wherein the device is arranged as a kit.
 19. Amethod of use for a device (100) for protecting a smoking apparatus, themethod comprising the steps of: providing the device (100) forprotecting a smoking apparatus (10), the smoking apparatus including amouth interface (12), at least one air inlet (14), and a glass body (16)between the mouth interface and the at least one air inlet, the glassbody having an outer surface (17) defining an internal volume (19), thedevice comprising: a jacket (110) configured receive the glass body, andto cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body, the jacketfurther configured to protect against impacts against the outer surfaceof the glass body; and a fastener (120) fixed to the jacket, andconfigured to secure the jacket to the glass smoking apparatus;positioning the jacket in an open state; inserting the smokingapparatus; closing the jacket; and coupling the fastener to secure thejacket in the closed state.
 20. The method of claim 19, furthercomprising the steps of: releasing the fastener; and removing thesmoking apparatus.